Cable Thieves Apprehended on Major Durban Road, Caught With Tools of the Trade

• Two men were caught trying to steal cables on Margaret Mncadi Avenue in Durban on Tuesday
• The duo was spotted by a municipal official who alerted police of their brazen attempt at cable theft
• Some South Africans pointed out that the duo looked very poor and the theft in broad daylight maybe motivated by poverty

DURBAN - Two desperate men were apprehended while reportedly stealing cables in broad daylight at a popular Durban intersection on Tuesday afternoon, 30 August.

According to the eThekwini municipality, a municipal officer reported the shameless suspects for removing cables on Margaret Mncadi Avenue.

Within 10 minutes, Durban metro police apprehended the duo, who were found in possession of the instruments they used to steal the cable, TimesLIVE reported.

South Africans react to the brazen cable theft

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Some South Africans suggest that the municipality should also arrest scrap yards that buy the stolen material.

Here are some comments:

Louise Ambler Weideman suggested:

“eThekwini Municipality… this is a suggestion. What about searching Scrap dealers’ yards for your cabling and arresting THEM for buying your cables from people?”

Alec Stafford pointed out:

“It's wrong that they were doing this, and they do deserve criminal action being taken against them, but from the images, they also look like they are one of the many downtrodden who beg at countless intersections, and I can't help but feel some sadness that we have people in such condition. But, a crime is a crime, and it deserves punishment!”

Sizakele Sikhakhane

“Well done to Metro Police, but these guys are going to be released it’s a cycle.”

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Body of Randburg man found after being shocked in suspected cable theft attempt, potential thieves warned

In a related matter, Briefly News reported that a Randburg man tragically died after being shocked in a suspected cable theft incident in the north of Joburg on Monday, 16 August.

According to TimeLIVE, Johannesburg City power technicians responded to an outage in Bordeaux and surrounding areas when they stumbled across the deceased's body. That is when they discovered that the blackout resulted from cable theft.

City Power spokesperson Isaacs Mangena said the man had broken into a transformer substation at the corner of Republic Road and Main Road and vandalised it to steal copper cables.

Source: Briefly News